CA eUpdate 01/17/07

Drug Policy Alliance
...on the web

CA eUpdate: Wednesday, January 17, 2007

CONTENTS:

1. In this Issue

California Governor Proposes Gutting Prop. 36 Treatment Program
http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=4226869&l=135943

DPAN Sponsors Public Health Bill in California
http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=4226869&l=135944

DPA Head Takes on Stephen Colbert
http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=4226869&l=135945

2. In Other News

Fight the Propaganda Tour to Spread Random Student Drug Testing
http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=4226869&l=135958

Mexico Tries to Curb Drug-Related Violence
http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=4226869&l=135959

Momentum Builds in New Mexico
http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=4226869&l=135960

3. Announcements

Job Opening at Fund for Nonviolence
http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=4226869&l=135961

4. Highlight

Public Meeting: Does San Diego Need a New Prison?
http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=4226869&l=135962

5. Events

2nd National Conference on Methamphetamine, HIV and Hepatitis: Science & Response 2007
http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=4226869&l=135909

2007 International Drug Policy Reform Conference
http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=4226869&l=135910

_____________________________________________________________________
I N T H I S I S S U E

CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR PROPOSES GUTTING PROP. 36 TREATMENT PROGRAM

California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has called for a severe funding cut to Proposition 36,
the state's landmark, voter-approved, treatment-instead-of-jail program. The recommendation,
part of the governor's budget proposal released last week, would cut $23 million from the money-
and life-saving program.

Data consistently show that Prop. 36 is a success--over 12,000 people have successfully
completed substance treatment during each year of the program's existence, putting the program
on track to graduate 72,000 Californians in its first six years. In just its first five years,
Prop. 36 saved taxpayers $1.3 billion, according to figures from the Justice Policy Institute.

Despite its proven track record, the governor is starving the program. A recent survey by the
Coalition of Alcohol and Drug Associations found that Prop. 36 needs at least $209.3 million to
"adequately address the treatment needs." Yet the governor has proposed allocating just $120
million to Prop. 36 in 2007-08.

If the governor's budget is approved, it would be the second funding cut in as many years.
Counties spent $143 million on Prop. 36 last year. Delays in funding distribution at the state
level this year mean that counties will have just $132 million available to them.

Margaret Dooley, DPA's Prop. 36 outreach coordinator, said, "We are, frankly, shocked by the
deep cuts the governor wants to make to this popular and successful program. Prop 36 has saved
taxpayers huge sums, and kept more people out of prison than anything the governor has ever
proposed. But the governor appears to be wasting no time starving this program to death."

This year's proposal also contains new constraints on the funding, which are likely to further
limit some counties' ability to fund the program. $60 million would be channeled through a
one-year-old fund called the Substance Abuse Offender Treatment Program (OTP), which requires
counties to match funds in order to receive state money. In counties that are unable or
unwilling to put up matching funds, local Prop. 36 spending would drop to less than half of
current levels. The county match stipulation is particularly unfair, counties have pointed out,
since Prop. 36 is a state-mandated program and, according to a recent UCLA analysis, the state
collects some 93% of associated cost savings.

DPA will work with the state legislature this year to bring the funding totals for Prop. 36 much
closer in line with the actual need.

"A huge majority of Californians support Prop. 36 because it makes sense and because it works,"
Dooley said. "We will work hard in the next six months, together with program graduates and
other treatment advocates, to keep legislators aware of the program's success and popularity, of
their duty to uphold the will of the voters and of their responsibility to protect and expand
this model public health program."

DPAN SPONSORS PUBLIC HEALTH BILL IN CALIFORNIA

Drug Policy Alliance Network (DPAN) is kicking off 2007 with advocacy for a long overdue public
health bill in the California legislature.

AB 110 ( http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=4226869&l=135946 ), authored by
Assemblyman John Laird (D-Santa Cruz), would allow the State Department of Health Services to
authorize funding for clean syringe and syringe exchange projects. Access to clean syringes is a
key public health tool for reducing the spread of blood borne diseases such as HIV/AIDS and
hepatitis C, which can be transmitted through the sharing of contaminated syringes by injection
drug users.

The state-level funding authorized by AB 110 would complement a program already in place that
allows cities and counties to authorize pharmacies to sell syringes without a prescription.
Right now, local governments are not permitted to use existing state HIV prevention funds on
syringe access programs.

Though the measure passed both houses of the legislature in 2005 and 2006, it has yet to receive
approval from Governor Schwarzenegger's office, despite the impact it will have on preventing
new cases of HIV/AIDS, saving individual lives and saving taxpayer dollars. DPAN's Nikos
Leverenz said, "We will work to ensure that the governor understands the public health
imperative of this bill. Hopefully 2007 can finally be the year where California fights HIV/AIDS
with an increased capacity to pursue rational, cost-effective and proven prevention measures
like expanding syringe access."

DPA HEAD TAKES ON STEPHEN COLBERT

DPA's executive director, Ethan Nadelmann, went toe-to-toe with late night comedian Stephen
Colbert this week on Colbert's critically acclaimed talk show, The Colbert Report, on Comedy
Central.

The debate centered on the idea of ending marijuana prohibition, with Colbert's combative
interview style proving no obstacle to Nadelmann's determination to educate the public about the
failed war on drugs. Nadelmann made strong statements such as, "[The drug war] treats adults
like children--it infantilizes them, it relies on undercover operations and turns the society
into a society of informants. That's not the type of society we want."

Early in the interview, Nadelmann explained that the United States, with five percent of the
world's population, has 25 percent of the world's prison population. He also mentioned that half
of all drug arrests in the United States are marijuana-related, and advocated taxing and
regulating marijuana like alcohol. This recommendation drew a huge round of applause from the
audience.

Nadelmann received a standing ovation at the end of his appearance, and viewers at home had
largely positive reactions as well. Many drug policy reform supporters were excited to see the
issue discussed in such a high profile forum. One poster on the DPA discussion board said of
Nadelmann, "The fact that he could dissect and deliver all the important points under the
pressure of heat, lights, time and Colbert was impressive. My hope is that he is able to travel
across mainstream venues and continue to deliver that message."

The appearance provoked discussion among Colbert Report fans as well. One reader of the Colbert
Nation blog, "Some people say Nadelmann was too excited or too 'into it' so to speak. However,
imagine if people were thrown in jail for years for smoking cigarettes or drinking alcohol. ...
If that was happening I think the people who drink alcohol and those in favor of individual
freedom and civil liberties would be just as passionate as Nadelmann is about legalizing
marijuana."

Share your thoughts on Nadelmann's Colbert appearance in our discussion forum:
http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=4226869&l=135947 . If you missed it, watch it here:
http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=4226869&l=135948 .

_____________________________________________________________________
I N O T H E R N E W S

FIGHT THE PROPAGANDA TOUR TO SPREAD RANDOM STUDENT DRUG TESTING

For the fourth year in a row, the Office of National Drug Control Policy is back on the road
trying to convince parents, teachers and local politicians that random student drug testing is
the "silver bullet" to combat adolescent drug use, despite objections from adolescent health
experts.

Government representatives are visiting four cities in the coming weeks, delivering the hard
sell for the Bush administration's nationwide student drug testing agenda, complete with
enticements for federal funding.

On last year's tour, dedicated drug policy reformers descended on every meeting with sharp
questions and literature to counter the ONDCP's deceptive presentations. Many educators
expressed dissatisfaction with the one-sided information provided by the ONDCP, and were
grateful to hear what we had to say: that random student drug testing is unsupported by the best
available research, and can deter students from extracurricular activities--the very activities
that increase students' connection to their schools and to caring adults.

This year, the tour is not coming to California, but may be stopping in a place where you have
friends or family. Make sure to tell them about the summits so they can make their opposition
heard loud and clear! Visit our online toolkit (
http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=4226869&l=135949 )and spread the word.

Meeting locations and dates are:

Charleston, SC, Wednesday, January 24, 2007
9am-4pm (Embassy Suites Hotel Airport/Convention Center, 5055 International Blvd)
Pre-summit meet-up: http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=4226869&l=135950

Newark, NJ, Tuesday, February 27, 2007
9am-4pm (Hilton Newark Airport, 1170 Spring Street)

Honolulu, HI, Tuesday, March 27, 2007
9am-4pm (Waikiki Beach & Sheraton Hotels, 2255 Kalakaua Avenue)

Las Vegas, NV, Tuesday, April 24, 2007
9am-4pm (Cashman Center, 850 N. Las Vegas Blvd.)

Last year, we forced ONDCP officials to explicitly acknowledge opposition presence at every
summit. Our supporters had drug testing proponents stumbling over their responses, admitting
they did not know the answers to our critical questions. Our work paid off; after the summits
many educators told reporters that they will not consider testing.

Peter Eyre attended the summit in Falls Church, Virginia, last year and said, "At the summit
most educators I talked to were still on the fence about whether to implement student drug
testing or not and almost everyone there was still receptive to hearing information from drug
policy reformers." Visit http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=4226869&l=135949 to read
more reflections and tips from members who attended past summits.

Learn More About Student Drug Testing

Drug testing is humiliating, costly and ineffective, but it's an easy anti-drug sound bite for
the White House. Student testing breaks the trust between children and adults and drives
students away from extracurricular activities. What's more, studies even show that student drug
testing doesn't work to deter drug use. Read the story of how one student's life was turned
upside down by drug testing ( http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=4226869&l=135951 )
and how drug testing created a devastating false sense of security for another family (
http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=4226869&l=135952 ).

Visit our website ( http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=4226869&l=135953 ) and read a
copy of our booklet Making Sense of Student Drug Testing: Why Educators Are Saying No:
http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=4226869&l=135954 .

MEXICO TRIES TO CURB DRUG-RELATED VIOLENCE

Earlier this month, Mexico's new president, Felipe Calderón, sent federal troops into Tijuana to
fight violent, drug-related crime. The city, with its extremely high rate of murders and
kidnappings, is the second stop in Calderón's crackdown. Shortly after starting his term
December 1, he sent 7,000 troops to the state of Michoacán. Both Michoacan and Tijuana have seen
increasing amounts of drug-related violence in recent years as Mexican drug cartels have risen
in power.

Federal officials have been policing Tijuana since January 2, and soldiers disarmed the
municipal police force last week in order to investigate what is believed to be widespread
corruption in the local police force. The weapons are being inspected to determine whether any
have been used in drug-related crimes. Tijuana's mayor, Jorge Hank Rhon, has acknowledged that
the low salaries of police officers leave them open to bribes from the drug cartels.

For now, municipal police are patrolling without weapons alongside the armed federal officers.

Since the federal officers arrived, they have been conducting random vehicle searches looking
for drugs. No drugs were found in the first few days of the crackdown, suggesting that smugglers
have been temporarily discouraged. However, Reuters reports today that murders in the city
continue as usual, with eight people having been killed already this year.

This follows the pattern seen in Michoacán, where several killings took place in December
despite the presence of federal police and troops.

Based on similar crackdowns under former president Vicente Fox, many in Tijuana are doubtful
that the current measures will have any lasting impact. The profitability of the drug trade is
likely to ensure that the border city remains a hot spot for drug smuggling and commensurate
violent crime.

MOMENTUM BUILDS IN NEW MEXICO

In New Mexico, the Drug Policy Alliance Network (DPAN) is gearing up for its most ambitious
legislative agenda in years. During the legislative session, which runs from January 16 to March
17, DPAN will be working to advance harm reduction, drug treatment, and medical marijuana
legislation.

Medical marijuana is a pivotal issue for New Mexico, where more than 80% of voters support
making medical marijuana available to seriously or terminally ill patients in order to reduce
their pain and suffering from illnesses such as cancer, AIDS, and multiple sclerosis. In the
last two years, medical marijuana legislation came very close to passing the legislature, only
to be stalled without a full House vote.

"Very ill New Mexicans have been waiting a long time--I hope 2007 will be the year for medical
marijuana in New Mexico," said DPAN's Reena Szczepanski. "Legislators know the voters are
supportive. In our recent House elections, the only two incumbents that were defeated were
medical marijuana opponents."

DPAN will also be working on a harm reduction bill, known as the 911 Good Samaritan bill, to
reduce drug overdose deaths. The most common reason people cite for not calling 911 for help
when they witness an overdose is a fear of police involvement--people using drugs are afraid to
be arrested for possession of illicit substances. This bill would prevent those arrests and give
amnesty to people seeking medical help for a drug overdose. New Mexico has the highest rate of
drug overdose deaths in the country, so this lifesaving bill would have a significant public
health impact. One person dies nearly every day in New Mexico of a drug overdose.

DPAN is also promoting a number of treatment bills. One would increase Medicaid coverage of
substance abuse treatment services, and another would expand eligibility for treatment diversion
so that more people arrested for nonviolent drug offenses can access drug treatment instead of
being incarcerated.

A third treatment bill would fund a pilot project at the New Mexico Women's Prison. The project
would treat women who have a chronic history of narcotic addiction with buprenorphine, a
medication for treatment of opioid addiction. Currently, 75% of women who go to prison for the
first time and have a history of heroin use will return to prison within two and a half years.
Improving treatment options will give women a better chance to stay out of prison and reduce the
costs to taxpayers that go along with incarceration.

These bills all represent significant strides in public health for New Mexico. "New Mexico has
been a national leader in public health and harm reduction approaches to drugs. Now it's time to
take it to the next level," said Szczepanski. For the next two months, DPAN will be in the
statehouse, working to make reforms a reality.

_____________________________________________________________________
ANNOUNCEMENTS

JOB OPENING AT FUND FOR NONVIOLENCE

The Fund for Nonviolence, a private foundation in Santa Cruz, seeks a Program Officer. The
program officer and other staff share program and administrative responsibilities for specific
grant-making programs and for general operations of the foundation. The ideal candidate is
someone with a sense of strategy, who's interested in how social change works, and has a
demonstrable understanding of and commitment to the Foundation's core values. To learn more
about the position, including specific responsibilities, qualifications and how to apply, please
see the full job posting: http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=4226869&l=135961 .

_____________________________________________________________________
H I G H L I G H T

PUBLIC MEETING: DOES SAN DIEGO NEED A NEW PRISON?

Gov. Schwarzenegger has recommended slashing funding for Proposition 36, a proven prison reform
that has helped over 140,000 Californians enter drug treatment instead of jail or prison. Rather
than allocating more funding to alternatives to incarceration, he wants to go further into debt
to finance prison expansion. Come to a meeting where San Diegans will gather to discuss whether
they want another prison in San Diego and share their ideas for real prison reform. Join the
group to learn more, network with other prison reformers and get involved. The meeting will take
place Wednesday, January 24 at 6 pm in San Diego.
http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=4226869&l=135962

_____________________________________________________________________
E V E N T S

February 1-3, 2007. Salt Lake City Hilton, Salt Lake City, UT. 2ND NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON
METHAMPHETAMINE, HIV AND HEPATITIS: SCIENCE AND RESPONSE 2007. This year's conference will once
again be driven by collaboration and diversity--it will introduce the latest in methamphetamine
research and innovative programming to a wide audience. By presenting the spectrum of response
to methamphetamine use, we hope to learn from one another by drawing upon what is effective or
promising and applying it to our work.
http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=4226869&l=135909

December 5-8, 2007. Astor Crowne Plaza, New Orleans, LA. 2007 INTERNATIONAL DRUG POLICY REFORM
CONFERENCE. DPA's International Drug Policy Reform Conference is the world's principal gathering
of people who believe the war on drugs is doing more harm than good. No better opportunity
exists to learn about drug policy and to strategize and mobilize for reform. Mark your 2007
calendars now!
http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=4226869&l=135910